


systemRestart();

by The_Eldritch_IT_Gay



Series: Flesh, Circuit, and Bone [4]
Category: Outland Industries
Genre: Character Development, Gen, Hate Crimes, probots and robophobes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 08:29:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6697420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Eldritch_IT_Gay/pseuds/The_Eldritch_IT_Gay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I always ended up getting worse robophobe hate than my coworkers. Probably due to the fact that I was one of the more augmented workers here. I did technically still qualify as human, technically. But since my cybernetics were so deeply intertwined with my nervous system, and without them I’d likely die, I’m closer to being qualified as an android.</p>
            </blockquote>





	systemRestart();

I slammed the door behind me, leaning against it as I caught my breath. Adjusting my head system, I quickly flicked it back on.

_Reboot System? Y/N_

Sighing, I let the system reboot. After a minute I breathe a sigh of relief as the screen lights up again, and vision returns to my eye.

_3 Unread messages_

I easily navigate to the IMs.

_**Aeneas:** Robophobes outside, be careful._  

_**Trippy:** Robophobe rally, stay safe _

_**Maddock:** Beware the assholes outside_

 "Fuck…. little too late for that…" I sign to nobody.

Securing my bag over my shoulder, I limp down the hallway, assessing the damage.

_.2% Blood loss - Connection to right leg lost - Moderate damage to implants - Flesh perforated on left side of cranium (Sutures required to heal)_

_Alert Medics? Y/N_

"Fuck no" 

Quite a few of the medics were always hesitant to help me, since they had little knowledge on my anatomy and cybernetics. I always kept medical supplies at my workstation, so I could patch up the damage myself. 

Opening the door to my workstation, I flicked the lights on remotely. As I walked over to the exam table, I dropped my bag and kicked off my loose pants. Grabbing my utility belt, I hopped on to the table, examining my leg. I grabbed the wire hanging from the ceiling and plugged it into my port.

_Trust this computer? Y/N_

Hooking myself up to the main system would be safest, in case my system malfunctions while I repair it. I pulled my gloves on and started working on detaching my leg. 

I always ended up getting worse robophobe hate than my coworkers. Probably due to the fact that I was one of the more augmented workers here. I did technically still qualify as human, _technically._ But since my cybernetics were so deeply intertwined with my nervous system, and without them I’d likely die, I’m closer to being qualified as an android.

I didn’t get my cybernetics done just because they would look cool, or anything. Not many understood that. The robophobes definitely don’t understand that. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to function normally. It was either augs, or spend the rest of my life in a hospital bed. And even then I would need to be hooked up to a machine.

Pulling off my leg, I placed it next to me, and started repairing the wires and circuits on the base that was connected to my hip.

My need for cybernetics started young. I was born deaf. Being a deaf child meant that doctors were always trying some new treatment or technology to help. My parents were very hesitant to aug me when I was so young, they liked to think of themselves as naturalists. Against doctor's suggestions, they refused to let me have an implant that allowed me to hear.

I started to show signs of worsening health- slow growth, frequent illnesses, lethargy- but my parents didn’t worry too much. But when I was nearly 3 years old, and still unable to walk, my parents couldn’t ignore it anymore. I ended up being diagnosed with a degenerative disease of the nervous system.

After that, My parents sent me away to live in a foster care, they didn’t want a child who needed augs. I stayed there until I was twelve, remaining un-auged, slowly dying . When I ran away, I was wheelchair bound, I couldn’t speak, I was one step away from needing to be hooked up to oxygen 24/7, and my vision was slipping. I hardly survived on the streets, begging for loose change, health steadily declining, but I somehow barely made it to age 16. When I turned 16, I managed to get a job. It was just cleaning up in a repair shop, but it paid enough for me to at least feed myself. I hung around the shop, wheeling between stations, oxygen tank in tow.

It was around that time, I started to notice my fine motor skills were going. I knew if they went, I couldn’t keep a job. So late one night, I hid in the shop until they closed, then I started tinkering. I sketched out designs and tried to make something that would help me. It took a week of sneaking into the shop after dark, but I eventually made it. A very rudimentary exoskeleton for my arms. One of the technicians noticed it, and once I showed them how I made it, they offered me a job as an apprentice. With their guidance, I refined the exoskeleton, and started working on fixing myself even more.

It was when I was 18 that I did one of my biggest projects. Creating legs for myself. I drew up all the plans and created the prototypes, there was just one issue. No doctor was crazy enough to amputate a teenagers legs so they could tinker with prosthetic designs. Defeated, I was cleaning up my station one night when someone walked in and asked about my designs. I showed them the prototypes and blueprints, and also showed off my exoskeleton and glasses. I guess he was impressed, because the very next day, I was offered a scholarship to the Outland Industries Android Repair program. I ended up graduating at the top of my class and getting a job in prototype. Through hard work and perseverance, I became one of the leading experts in cybernetics as well as being a top prototyper.

Since I started working at Outland I’ve fine tuned my exoskeleton so I have fine motor skills, refined and installed my legs so I can walk, created my cybernetic eye so I can see and manage my program, I’ve managed to aug my lungs so I don’t need an oxygen mask, and I’ve even prototyped something that will speak out what I sign so others can understand what I say. It hasn’t stopped the nerve damage though.

I keep a journal of the things I notice, even the little things. My right eye’s vision blurring for a moment, forgetting words, muscles giving out, brain fog. I carefully decide when I might augment to reverse the damage. The more I keep augmenting, the closer I become to losing my human status. The more I make myself a target for robophobe hate. And the more I make myself vulnerable to malfunctions, hacking, and- ironically- nerve damage.

Pulling myself out of my reverie, finished rewiring my leg, then started reattaching it. I froze as my vision flashed. 

_System shutting down…_

My brow knits with worry as I try to navigate through my system.

_/runDiagnostics_

_…_

_…_

_..._

_System reset by D0WN2P1Ug1N5_

*Are you fucking kidding me? Someone hacked the main?*

The protesters might not have thought about the effects of shutting down the main system, maybe just thinking it will inconvenience us. But recent robophobe rallies have resulted in deaths, so it was possible….

Quickly pulling up IM, I sent a message to Aeneas.

_Not to worry you, but some prick seems to have hacked the main system. I also happened to be hooked up to the main system so my system is shutting down as well. If convenient, please send help to my station. Thx._

_~C_


End file.
